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The-Dominion-Post
Many Wellington commercial properties may delay payment of fees under the 2020-21 Annual Plan proposed by the city council.
Wellington taxpayers will be able to voice their opinion on a proposed rate increase of 5.07 percent when the City Council’s draft Annual Plan is submitted for public comment.
The proposed increase was one of a series of council-approved recommendations for fiscal year 2020-21 during a Zoom meeting on Thursday.
Proposals were also included to defer fee payments for commercial property owners affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and to finance debt with a forecast of $ 48 million in lost revenue.
SUPPLIED / The-Dominion-Post
Wellington City Councilwoman Iona Pannett proposed a series of initiatives as part of the council’s draft Annual Plan, including improvements in pedestrian safety, more money for biodiversity protection and more energy audits in home.
Rate deferrals would be available to commercial property owners who receive financial support from the government or a mortgage suspension from their bank to help them overcome the pandemic, and would allow them to delay quarterly payments for up to six months.
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The scheme is not available for government-owned properties or those of utility companies.
Monique Ford / Things
The council agreed on a minor works program to improve pedestrian safety.
Councilor Iona Pannett also promoted a series of initiatives under her Tipu Toa proposal: Build Back Better.
They included an additional $ 200,000 for the council’s weed management program aimed at protecting indigenous biodiversity, increasing the number of home energy audits, and a minor works program to improve pedestrian safety.
It also won support to provide an additional $ 100,000 for the Built Heritage Incentive Fund, which is available to heritage building owners for earthquake conservation and strengthening work.
Dominion-Post Mayor of Kāpiti K (Guru) Gurunathan said Wellington city councilors must “stick their finger out” after a facilitator was hired to help solve problems among elected representatives.
The council was criticized by regional mayors earlier on Thursday after a facilitator had to be hired to help resolve problems among councilors.
Pannett took the opportunity after his proposals were accepted to respond to criticism, thanking the advisers for their constructive discussion “on a day when we were told that we are not unified.”
The council’s $ 48 million debt forecast included a projected $ 24 million deficit of normal user charges, such as the use of community facilities, as well as a range of rate freezes, refunds, and discounts.
It also included a forecast loss of $ 14 million in income from its annual dividend at Wellington Airport, and a $ 10 million drop in fee-financed operating expenses.
Prior to the pandemic outbreak, the council had planned to generate an additional $ 11 million in 2020-21 from the rate increases, and most of it is due to building consent, parking, and landfill fees.
The updated forecast loss in revenue comes from freezes and discounts on things like council gyms and group memberships, library fees and food and alcohol license registrations and renewals, among others.
“The general assumption is that fees and charges revenue will be approximately 60 percent of the levels forecast in July 2020, and will increase to 100 percent by the end of October 2020,” the document says.
The council had also planned to eliminate the discounted rates for people who build their first home or buy a new construction in Wellington, signaling poor acceptance of the scheme.
However, Pannett’s amendments nullified that plan, which means the policy will continue.
The council has drawn up a separate pandemic response plan, but it is not part of the draft Annual Plan.
The draft Annual Plan will be released to the public from May 8 to June 8.
